Ascenso MX
| Founded | 1994 as Primera División A de México |
|---|---|
| Folded | 2020 |
| Country | Mexico |
| Confederation | CONCACAF |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| Level on pyramid | 2 |
| Promotion to | Liga MX |
| Relegation to | Liga Premier |
| Domestic cup(s) | Copa MX Supercopa MX |
| Last champions | Oaxaca (2nd title) Apertura 2019 |
| Most championships | Sinaloa León Irapuato Necaxa (4 titles) |
| Website | ascensomx |
| Current: 2019–20 Ascenso MX season | |
The Ascenso MX was the second level of the Mexican football league system.[1] The champion of the competition was promoted to Liga MX (top level). The bottom team was relegated to Liga Premier (third level). It was sponsored by BBVA through its Mexican subsidiary BBVA, and was officially known as Ascenso BBVA MX.
Formerly known as Primera División A de México the league rebranded in 2009 its name and competition format to Liga de Ascenso. It was rebranded in 2012 as Ascenso MX. The major changes: clubs do not need a FMF certification to be promoted and that the competition no longer used group stages.
Ascenso MX was replaced by Liga de Expansión MX on April 17, 2020.
History
[edit]In 1994, to create a premier league, the FMF upgraded the Segunda División de México to Primera División A de México to bring closer the level of play in the two divisions. The project was under the direction of José Antonio García Rodríguez, then president of the then top level Primera División. He envisioned the new division to be joined by the best teams of the Segunda División and include teams from the United States (Los Angeles Salsa and San Jose Black Hawks expressed a desire to join). FIFA declined the integration but established a new league with the best Segunda División sides. The inaugural 1994-95 season began with 15 teams: Acapulco, Atlético Celaya, Atlético San Francisco, Atlético Yucatán, Caimanes de Tabasco, Coras de Tepic, Gallos de Aguascalientes, Halcones de Querétaro, Inter Tijuana, Irapuato, Reboceros de La Piedad, Marte, Pachuca, San Luis, and Zacatepec. Cobras de Ciudad Juárez declined to participate due to financial problems.
In 2006, the number of teams increased from 20 to 24, and geographically separated into two groups for preliminary competition (A and B).
In 2009, the major changes were: the name change from Primera División A to Liga de Ascenso. The league was reduced to 17 teams and the groups were eliminated. The Apertura 2010 tournament had 18 teams participating. In 2012 the league was rebranded as Ascenso MX.[2] Alebrijes de Oaxaca was the 16th team of Ascenso MX in 2013. Alebrijes was partly formed by consolidating Segunda División side Tecamachalco which had won promotion to Ascenso MX in 2012, but did not fulfill infrastructural requirements set by the Mexican Football Federation. In August 2013, Zacatepec was promoted to Ascenso MX in place of relegated Pumas Morelos. [3]
During the 2011–2016 seasons there was no relegation to the Segunda División de México. On June 6, 2016, returned the relegation for the 2016–17 season. Loros UdeC and Murciélagos were relegated in the next two seasons. In 2018–19 season, C.D.S. Tampico Madero finished last in the relegation table, but remained in Ascenso MX after paying a bail.[4]
Abolition
[edit]On April 13, Liga MX and Ascenso MX President Enrique Bonilla announced the termination of the remainder of the Clausura 2020 season. Two reasons were the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic and the league's lack of financial resources. Its U-17 and U-20 youth systems and the Liga MX Femenil are also at risk.[5]
Clubs
[edit]The 2019–20 season had 14 clubs competing.[6] However, the Clausura 2020 tournament had only 12 teams competing after the dissolution of Potros UAEM and Loros UdeC.
| Club | City | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlante | Cancún, Quintana Roo | Andrés Quintana Roo | 17,289 |
| Cafetaleros de Chiapas | Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas | Víctor Manuel Reyna | 29,001 |
| Celaya | Celaya, Guanajuato | Miguel Alemán Valdés | 23,182 |
| Correcaminos UAT | Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas | Marte R. Gómez | 10,520 |
| Leones Negros UdeG | Guadalajara, Jalisco | Jalisco | 55,020 |
| Oaxaca | Oaxaca City, Oaxaca | Tecnológico de Oaxaca | 14,598 |
| Sinaloa | Culiacán, Sinaloa | Banorte | 20,108 |
| Sonora | Hermosillo, Sonora | Héroe de Nacozari | 18,747 |
| Tampico Madero | Tampico / Ciudad Madero, Tamaulipas | Tamaulipas | 19,667 |
| Venados Yucatán | Mérida, Yucatán | Carlos Iturralde | 15,087 |
| Zacatecas | Zacatecas City, Zacatecas | Carlos Vega Villalba | 20,068 |
| Zacatepec | Zacatepec, Morelos | Agustín "Coruco" Díaz | 24,313 |
Champions
[edit]- Clubs currently in the Liga MX.
- Clubs currently in the Liga Premier.
- Clubs currently in the Liga TDP.
- Defunct clubs.
Copa Campeón de Ascenso
[edit]| Club | Champions | Runners-up | Winning years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sinaloa | 2 | 2 | 2003-04, 2016-17 |
| Irapuato | 2 | 1 | 1999-001, 2002-03 |
| Querétaro | 2 | 1 | 2005-06, 2008-09 |
| Necaxa | 2 | 1 | 2009-101, 2015-16 |
| La Piedad | 2 | 0 | 2000-01, 2012-13 |
| San Luis | 2 | 0 | 2001-02, 2004-05 |
| León | 1 | 3 | 2011-12 |
| Puebla | 1 | 1 | 2006-07 |
| Tigres UANL | 1 | 0 | 1996-971 |
| Pachuca | 1 | 0 | 1997-98 |
| Unión de Curtidores | 1 | 0 | 1998-99 |
| Indios | 1 | 0 | 2007-08 |
| Tijuana | 1 | 1 | 2010-11 |
| Leones Negros UdeG | 1 | 0 | 2013-14 |
| Lobos BUAP | 1 | 0 | 2016-17 |
| Tapachula | 1 | 0 | 2017-18 |
| Atl. San Luis | 1 | 0 | 2018-191 |
| Venados Yucatán | 0 | 2 | – |
| Tigrillos UANL | 0 | 1 | – |
| Aguascalientes | 0 | 1 | – |
| Veracruz | 0 | 1 | – |
| Correcaminos UAT | 0 | 1 | – |
| Toros Neza | 0 | 1 | – |
| Tecos | 0 | 1 | – |
| Juárez | 0 | 1 | – |
| Oaxaca | 0 | 1 | – |
- Clubs gained automatic promotion as they won both tournaments.
Sponsorship
[edit]
BBVA México was the league's sponsor, and used the brand name Ascenso BBVA MX. The official match ball is manufactured by Voit.
